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Houston, United States

Houston, Texas
City
City of Houston
Clockwise from top: Sam Houston monument, Downtown Houston, Houston Ship Channel, The Galleria, University of Houston, and the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center
Flag of Houston, Texas
Flag
Official seal of Houston, Texas
Seal
Nickname(s): Space City (official) more...
Location of Houston city limits in and around Harris County
Location of Houston city limits in and around Harris County
Houston, Texas is located in Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas is located in the US
Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 29°45′46″N 95°22′59″W / 29.76278°N 95.38306°W / 29.76278; -95.38306Coordinates: 29°45′46″N 95°22′59″W / 29.76278°N 95.38306°W / 29.76278; -95.38306
Country  United States
Counties Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery
Incorporated June 5, 1837
Named for Sam Houston
Government
 • Type Mayor–council
 • Body Houston City Council
 • Mayor Sylvester Turner (D)
Area
 • City 667 sq mi (1,625.2 km2)
 • Land 639.1 sq mi (1,642.1 km2)
 • Water 27.9 sq mi (72.3 km2)
 • Metro 10,062 sq mi (26,060 km2)
Elevation 80 ft (32 m)
Population (2010)
 • City 2,099,451
 • Estimate (2015) 2,296,224
 • Rank US: 4th
 • Density 3,662/sq mi (1,414/km2)
 • Urban 4,944,332 (7th U.S.)
 • Metro 6,313,158 (5th U.S.)
 • Demonym Houstonian
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
Zip code 770XX, 772XX (P.O. Boxes)
Area code(s) 713, 832, 281, 346
FIPS code 48-35000
GNIS feature ID 1380948
Interstates I-10.svg I-45.svg I-69.svg I-610.svg
U.S. Routes US 59.svg US 90.svg US 290.svg
Website houstontx.gov

Houston (Listeni/ˈhjuːstən/ HYOO-stən) is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States after Chicago, located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico. With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.239 million within an area of 667 square miles (1,730 km2), it also is the largest city in the Southern United States, as well as the seat of Harris County. It is the principal city of Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land, which is the fifth-most populated metropolitan area in the United States of America.

Houston was founded on August 28, 1836, near the banks of Buffalo Bayou (now known as Allen's Landing) and incorporated as a city on June 5, 1837. The city was named after former General Sam Houston, who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 miles (40 km) east of where the city was established. The burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the city's population. In the mid-20th century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center—the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions—and NASA's Johnson Space Center, where the Mission Control Center is located.


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